“In a matter of fraction… I lost everything,” said Lohit Kumar on Tuesday after an under-construction Bengaluru Metro pillar collapsed, killing his wife and two-and-a-half-year-old son.
The incident took place around 10:30 am on Outer Ring Road near HBR Layout, when the steel rod centring that was done to erect the concrete pillar for the “Namma Metro” (Bengaluru Metro) fell on the scooty the family of four were travelling to drop off their two children to a daycare center. The woman, Tejaswini (28) and her two-and-a-half-year-old son Vihaan were severely injured and were immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital by the bystanders but succumbed to injuries.
Lohit and the other child, who were also injured, survived the incident.
Speaking to reporters, Lohit said, “My wife and children were travelling with me on the bike. I was about to drop them off en route to my office when in a matter of a fraction incident happened. I’ve lost everything.” He further said, “safety should be ensured so that such incidents don’t occur again.”
Lohit’s father Vijay Kumar said the traffic jam he was caught in on the Outer Ring Road near HBR Layout was natural until he got to know his family members were involved. “I was not aware that the pillar has collapsed. I thought it was natural to often get stuck in traffic congestion, but not the pillar that felled my grandson and my daughter-in-law,” he said. He later managed to reach the spot via via Nagawara Road.
“I am in deep sorrow. This has caused me unbearable loss,” he said.
He also accused the contractor of the metro construction project of not taking adequate safety measures and called for construction work to immediately stop. “The contractor in charge of the Metro pillar construction clearly didn’t take safety measures. The construction work at the incident spot should immediately stop,” he told reporters.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai assured an inquiry into the incident. “I just got to know about it, we will get it investigated… we will ascertain the reason for the collapse of the pillar and provide compensation,” he said. He called the incident “unfortunate” and said inquiry will be done and case will be registered against those responsible.
He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the family.
Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) Managing Director Anjum Parvez who visited the spot described the incident as unfortunate. In a statement, he said, “We follow the highest quality standards possible when it comes to construction. A detailed probe will be done and will see if it was a technical error or manmade. Steps will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.”
An internal technical team will so investigate the matter, the BMRCL stated, adding that Rs 20 lakh compensation will be given to the family by the Metro rail administration.
Karnataka| Notices are being issued to the contractor & concerned engineers. IISc will be requested to probe&provide a report. An internal technical team will so investigate the matter: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd on Metro rail pillar collapse pic.twitter.com/rkyKnW5Zxw— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2023
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru East Bheemashankar S Guled said that a case has been registered based on Lohit’s complaint and an investigation will follow. A report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team on the incident has been ordered and it will be revealed if there was any negligence in the construction. “‘NCC construction company’ was the contractor which was carrying out the work, and naturally a complaint will be taken against them,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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